Some current television receivers include a so-called picture-in-picture (PIP) processing unit for displaying a small picture inset within a larger picture. Such PIP units are usually also capable of displaying a plurality of (e.g., 9 or 12), pictures at the same time. This multiple picture mode of operation is often utilized to display a plurality of pictures corresponding to respective channels during so-called "channel guide" mode of operation. During the "channel guide" mode of operation, the tuner of a television system is caused to tune a number (corresponding to the number of simultaneously displayed pictures) of channels in sequence. As each channel is tuned, information corresponding to a video frame or field is stored in a respective section of a memory associated with the PIP processing unit. Thereafter, the video information corresponding to each channel is read out of the memory and caused to be displayed in a respective section of the display device. The video information stored in the memory may be periodically updated. The "channel guide" feature is useful for quickly determining what programs are currently being provided on a number of channels.
Such "channel guide" feature has in the past been activated in response to a user initiated command.